Dashboard Confessional "The Shade of Poison Trees" (Vagrant Records) Sounds like: Dashboard Confessional goes to camp.
Thirteen-year-old emo kids in tight jeans and chucks will need a change of underoos after listening to the first five songs off Dashboard Confessional's latest record, "The Shade of Poison Trees." The first five tracks off the new CD sound a bit too reminiscent of nights around the campfire roasting marshmallows for s'mores.
But by raking in younger listeners, Carrabba risks alienating the older audience on which he has relied since the release of his first solo venture, the "Drowning" EP.
At first listen, the album may seem like a disappointment to loyal Dashboard fans everywhere. However, the title track, "The Shade of Poison Trees," is the redeeming moment on the record.
With poetic lyrics and awe-provoking chords, "The Shade" reminds you why Carrabba has been considered a god in the indie/emo scene for almost a decade. The lyrics of "Little Bombs" are poetically riveting: "You oughta know better than to bait your jailer / You oughta know better than to test your luck / You oughta know better than to bite who feeds you."
The seventh track, "The Rush," is the requisite tap-your-foot-to-the-beat song that makes you want to jump out of your chair and pull a "Guitar Hero" move. Lyrics from tracks six through 12 remind us that Carrabba was a literature teacher before trading in his grade book for a guitar.
Hopefully, Carrabba will realize that he doesn't need to go commercial pop because he has a great following of true D.C. lovers who want their whiny emo music with an edge - Dashboard fans are the whiny emo kids.
We want songs that make us feel like we aren't the only ones who have had our heart ripped out or who got the short end of the stick. Now, if we could just try to forget the train wreck that was the first five tracks, we'd be okay.
-SAMANTHA TYRKA
